The Office of Senator Alan Peter “Compañero” S. Cayetano on Wednesday provided medical assistance to a hundred patients undergoing treatment at the Legazpi City Hospital (LCH).
Cayetano’s office helps underprivileged Filipinos through the Tulong-Medikal Program, an initiative under the senator’s Medical Assistance Program which sets up help desks in different hospitals nationwide to assist more Filipinos in need of medical assistance.
The medical desk on May 31 was done in partnership with Legazpi City Mayor Carmen Geraldine Rosal, Legazpi City Councilor John Philip Lee, LCH OIC-Office of the Chief of Hospital Dr. Lady Ann Serrano, and LCH Hospital Administrator Dr. Michael Galan. The initiative was conducted in close coordination with the Department of Health Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) Region 5 Regional Director Dr. Ernie V. Vera.
Most of the patients hailed from Legazpi City and municipalities of Albay as well as the province of Sorsogon and were battling heart disease, hypertension, and childbirth complications. They received help with their hospital bills, medicines, laboratory tests, and medical procedures.
Agnes Ecleo, a patient bravely battling acute coronary syndrome, expressed her gratitude for the much-needed assistance in her treatment and the ability to purchase essential medicines and food. “Malaking tulong po ito sa amin kasi dalawa lang po kami ng kapatid ko, wala po kaming asawa, anak, at trabaho,” Ecleo said.
Due to her critical condition, any sudden or minor movement may lead to cardiac arrest. “Wala rin po akong trabaho. Walang wala na po kami. Ang nagpapakain lang po sa amin itong kasamahan ko po dito sa kwarto ko. Kaya malaking tulong po ito sa amin,” she said,
She expressed gratitude to Senator Cayetano for his assistance for her hospital bills. “Salamat po sir [Cayetano] na matutulungan niyo po ako.”
Since October 2022, his office has helped thousands of patients in 12 hospitals across the country.
